The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and more particularly relates to a user-convenient combination of a handheld device for a computer and a digital camera.
Photography is a well known and widely used technique for capturing images for later appreciation and use. Digital photography—digital image capturing—is a recent development made possible by lower cost optical to electronic conversion devices such as relatively high resolution charge coupled device (CCD) arrays and similar mechanisms, more powerful and energy efficient microprocessors, and small and low cost memory devices. Advantages to the user of a digital camera, as it is commonly known, are the ability to capture, store, and immediately view a picture, and the ability to correct defects in the stored picture either in situ or later using a computer system. Users of a digital camera naturally expect to carry their camera with them when they expect an opportunity for taking a picture to occur. Unfortunately, the best picture opportunity often occurs when the user is not carrying the digital camera.
Another item that has become a constant companion to people is the handheld computer, often referred to as a personal digital assistant (PDA), among other things. Many users carry their PDA at all times, with the expectation that they will need to refer to their stored personal calendar, address book, calculator, word processor, or the numerous other functions that such a computing device can perform.
Improvement in the computing power of handheld devices combined with the miniaturization of many hardware components promises to provide an even more versatile item for mobile people. Thus, a sharing of certain hardware elements and the latent computing power of a handheld computing device with image capturing hardware and software could offer users an item that enables a digital camera to be available to them when they need it because it can be part of a regularly carried item.